Justice Is More Important Than Peace
by Skye Coulson
Summary: So, what if GH 325 was actually in possession of The Clairvoyant ... Caleb Prior? Please read and review!
1. I Won't Let You Go

**Justice Is More Important Than Peace**

**Disclaimer:  
**As always, I own nothing!

**Rating:  
**T

**Genre:  
**Family/Hurt/Comfort (with a dash of romance)

**Pairing:  
**Coulsye

**Lyrics:  
**Snow Patrol "I Won't Let You Go"

* * *

I Won't Let You Go

* * *

_I won't let you go | (This is what you really want) | So don't let go of me | (This is what you asked for) | I wanted something more | (This is what you really want) | I wanted this right here | (This is what you asked for)_

* * *

"_He _deserves to die!" Agent Melinda May cried out, storming through The Bus with her dear friend and boss, Agent Phil Coulson hot on her heels. "Not her!"

"Agreed." Phil replied, curtly. It was true. He _did _want Quinn dead for shooting Skye. But, at the moment, they had bigger fish to fry. Like _saving _his beloved hacker. "But, right now, Quinn doesn't matter. Only Skye does! And, I need you to pilot the plane!"

"You _heard _what the doctor said!" May shouted, tears still clinging to her cheeks.

"She said there's nothing more _they _could do for her." Phil fired back. "But, there are people that brought me back from the _dead_." The senior agent powered on, cryptically. "If they can do that, I'm betting they can save Skye."

"You sure about this?" Grant Ward questioned, standing next to his mentor outside their hacker's medical pod. "Taking her all the way to Bethesda?" The specialist prodded, eying the senior agent suspiciously.

"It's where my file says I was treated after New York." Phil replied, in a haunting monotone as he never once took his eyes off of his beloved hacker.

"I understand." The specialist conceded. "But, what makes you think the doctors there can do anything different?" He asked, hating the helpless feeling he just hadn't been able to shake from the moment he'd seen Skye cradled lifelessly in Coulson's arms. "I know they saved you-"

"They did a lot more than save me." Phil interjected, sharply, before finally turning to look up at the specialist. "It's time you know the truth."

* * *

"That _can't _be." Jemma argued. "What you're describing … It's medically _impossible_!"

"Except for the fact that I'm standing here." Phil countered, cleverly. "Proof that it's not impossible." Slamming his rather lengthy file down onto the table, he added "And, here's more proof. My file. Describing how they brought me back. The doctors … The treatments … The drugs …"

Looking at the file on the table, Leo Fitz couldn't _not _notice the Level Ten security clearance on the cover. "Sir …" He began, cautiously. "It's against the law for us to read this."

"I don't care about your clearance level." Phil countered, sharply. "I'm _ordering _you to read it."

After a tense silence, Jemma timidly reached out to open the file. "Death … And Recovery Report."

"It was only recently that Director Fury gave me access to this." Phil explained. "I've gone over it dozens of times. I need you to decipher the medical parts of it I didn't understand." He added. "Feel free to reach out to Dr. Streiten. He should be eager to answers any questions you may have."

"Yes." Jemma replied, still trying to wrap her mind around everything that was being thrown at her. "I'm sure I'm going to have quite a few."

"Sir, what about … Tahiti?" Fitz asked, carefully, unsure if he really wanted the answer or not.

"Turns out …" Phil replied, cocking an eyebrow sarcastically. " … Not so magical … Just memories planted to cover up what was done."

"Sir …" Jemma spoke cautiously. " … It says here … Your _heart _was perforated … Torn in _half …_"

"That much of it, I understood." Phil replied, shortly. "And, yet … Somehow, they managed to heal the damaged tissue, completely. We need to understand how."

"So, we can do the same for Skye." Leo concluded.

"That's what I'm counting on." Phil replied, with a earnest expression in his piercing blue eyes unlike anything either of the science officers had ever seen before.

"We'll get right on it, Sir." Jemma assured her mentor, firmly.

"Thank you." Phil replied, quietly, as he made his swift exit.

* * *

_"S.H.I.E.L.D. 616, this is tower Michael Tango. You are in direct violation of S.H.I.E.L.D. directive 1297. Respond immediately." _The warning coming over the PA system in the cockpit set both Agents May and Ward on edge.

"Disobeying a direct order." Ward spoke. "We didn't hand Quinn over for interrogation."

"Right …" May drawled, reluctantly, as multiple quinjets surrounded them. Finally picking up the radio, May responded. "This is S.H.I.E.L.D. 616. How do we proceed?"

_"Prepare to be boarded and relinquish command."_ The other voice ordered.

* * *

"Really?!" Phil demanded, once Ward had informed him of the situation. "All the war and chaos in the world and S.H.I.E.L.D. sends a plane after **us**?!" He snapped. He had far bigger fish to fry at the moment and he had neither the time nor the patience for this.

"_Three _planes." The specialist corrected. "One small transport to dock and two F-15s to make sure we hand over Quinn." He elaborated, curtly.

Looking up as the plane jarred with the motion of the transport plane docking on their roof, Phil glared in the general direction of the transport plane as he muttered "They scratch my paint, I'm gonna be pissed!"

* * *

"Caelynn?" Phil questioned, curiously, watching his former protege descending the stairs into the cabin of his plane. "The hell are you doing here?"

"As opposed to the level eight jackass I'm lookin' at?" Caelynn Harmon replied, grinning wickedly as she moved to stand before Phil. "Same as you." She admitted. "Trying to save Skye."

"And, what about Quinn?" The senior agent questioned, cocking an eyebrow, curiously.

"Oh, don't worry." Caelynn replied, an evil grin spreading across her face. "I have something _very _special planned for him." As the grin disappeared, she added. "But, right now, the name of the game is to help Skye." She spoke, switching conversational gears. "I understand you're headed to Bethesda."

"That _is _where I was treated." Phil countered, silently wondering where the specialist was going with this.

"Bold move." Caelynn replied. "You know the factions aren't going to be happy about S.H.I.E.L.D. invading their turf unannounced." She added, a slight warning tone to her voice, as she folded her arms over her chest. "I still recall the last time you and I were there, together – before your treatment. During all the conflicts …" The specialist added, reminiscing over the time of the faction civil war. All five factions were at each other's throats. Abnegation couldn't keep up with it all and had reluctantly asked S.H.I.E.L.D. for their assistance to restore peace to the faction community.

"I'm well aware of that." Phil replied, confidently.

"Is your team?" Caelynn questioned, knowing full-well that Phil had yet to read his new team in on the Faction Society. Watching Phil remain silent was all the answer she needed. "I figured as much." The specialist mused. "Why do you think I issued that order for you to turn Quinn over for interrogation?" She asked, grinning mischievously. She'd known from the start that Phil wouldn't relinquish Quinn. And, she knew that'd be her ticket in the door. "I know you, Phil. I know you follow your gut before you follow S.H.I.E.L.D."

"What would you have done if I'd _obeyed _the order?" Phil questioned, snidely.

"_You _know _me_." The specialist countered. "I would have found another way in."

* * *

"This is Special Agent Caelynn Harmon." Phil greeted, walking into the conference room with Caelynn at his side. "She's here to escort us to Bethesda."

"What about the orders to relinquish Quinn?" Ward questioned, suspiciously.

"They're bullshit." Caelynn replied, bluntly. Taking in the astonished looks all around her, she added "What? I don't have time for tact." Folding her arms, proudly, she added "Yeah … I know all about Skye and her injuries. Just the same as I know all about Phil and y'all takin' her to Bethesda."

"You disagree?" May chanced, trying gauge where the new specialist was going with this.

"Exactly the opposite, Agent May." Caelynn replied, uncrossing her arms. "I agree with Phil. I think Bethesda's the right move." She added, taking a moment to appreciated the baffled looks all around her. "However, I never said anything about it being the _easy _move."

"What d'you mean, ma'am?" Jemma questioned, curiously.

"Drop the 'ma'am'." Caelynn ordered, curtly, turning to face the bio-chemist. "My name is Caelynn." She corrected, before getting back to her original point. "And, I mean that … Bethesda has now become better known as – among S.H.I.E.L.D., anyway – as the Faction Society-"

"Faction Society?" Leo questioned, brow furrowing in confusion. "What's that?"

"The entire population is divided into five separate factions.

"After my death in New York, Caelynn was named something of an ambassador between S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Factions." Phil interjected, by way of explanation.

"Which is exactly why I'm here, now." Caelynn added. "To try to ease your entrance into the society. Now, the factions are as follows. Abnegation, Amity, Candor, Dauntless, and Erudite." She explained. "Each faction dedicates their entire lives to a different trait."

"What traits?" May questioned.

"Well, Abnegation – the governing faction – is dedicated to the practice of selflessness." Caelynn elaborated. "They live their lives in the service of others. And, they believe that all of the human nature errors in the world can be attributed to selfishness." She added, before moving on. "Next, we have Amity – the peaceful. Amity is dedicated to peacefulness, kindness, forgiveness, trust, self-sufficiency, and neutrality. Their bread actually has a serum in it to prevent the members from becoming combatant or instigating fights."

"Sounds more The Brain-Washed than The Peaceful." Fitz muttered under his breath.

Gracefully skipping over the engineer's comment, Caelynn continued on explaining the different factions. "Candor is the faction dedicated to the practice of honesty. They believe that duplicity and deception are the key faults in human nature."

"Really?" Coulson questioned, cocking an eyebrow sarcastically. "People like Quinn run around shooting down innocent people – people like Skye, who are actively trying to save the human race – and, they're worried about people being dishonest?"

"They believe that people like Quinn do the things they do – including shooting Skye – all due to dishonesty." Caelynn replied, shrugging disbelievingly. "But, back to the matter at hand … The next faction is Dauntless – the Brave. They believe that justice is more important than peace and that true peace is fought for and hard-won. They believe in – and, I quote – shouting for those who can only whisper."

"People like Skye?" Jemma questioned, hopefully.

"Exactly." Caelynn replied, warmly. "And, finally, we have Erudite – the Intelligent. In addition to blaming ignorance for all of human nature's errors, they also believe that _they _should be the governing faction – as opposed to Abnegation."

"Abnegation can't be too happy about that." Ward muttered.

"Happy about it?" Caelynn replied. "No. But, they also won't actually _do _anything about it. That's Dauntless's job. Dauntless acts as security and a form of military for the faction society – they're really sort of like the Factions' version of S.H.I.E.L.D."

"And, here I thought S.H.I.E.L.D. had no equal." Coulson muttered, mischievously.

"So, what's our play?" May asked, anxious to do whatever it took to save Skye.

"It's not gonna be easy." Caelynn admitted. "The Factions possess a serum – S.H.I.E.L.D. calls it GH 325 – which was used on Coulson immediately after his death in New York. Literally within _minutes_ of being injected with the serum, Phil's injuries started showing signs of cellular regeneration-"

"That's not possible." Jemma countered, quietly.

"Possible or not, it worked." Caelynn argued. "But, getting your hands on it won't be easy. The serum is guarded by this guy – Caleb Prior." The specialist explained, loading an image of the man she'd been referring to. "Now, Prior's been confirmed as The Clairvoyant you've been searching for-"

"You mean _he's _the bastard that ordered Quinn to shoot Skye?!" Coulson snarled.

"Yes." Caelynn replied, gently, placating her former mentor with a gentle touch of the arm. "Prior has been confirmed as having genuine clairvoyant abilities which is why the factions dubbed him the keeper of the serum. They couldn't risk it falling into the wrong hands." Catching a derisive snort from Agent Ward, she added "I highly doubt they're aware of what's happened to Skye. If they were, Prior would already be in Dauntless's custody."

"So, how do you propose we go about getting this serum?" May questioned.

"My suggestion is to go after Caleb's sister." The specialist replied, loading a new image. "Meet Tris Prior." She added. "Formerly known as _Beatrice _Prior – she changed her name after her choosing ceremony, where she chose Dauntless as her faction."

"Choosing ceremony?" Jemma questioned, curiously.

"Once a year, all sixteen-year-olds – in the faction society – are required to take an aptitude test. The test determines which faction each person is best suited for based on their characteristics. The day after the aptitude test, a choosing ceremony is held where the sixteen-year-olds all choose which faction they will serve for the rest of their lives. They can choose to stay with their families or to leave. However, they only get one choice."

"Harsh terms." Leo muttered.

"If you think that's bad …" Caelynn interjected, snidely. " … If an initiate in any given faction fails to complete their initiation period, they are shunned – forced to live out the rest of their lives, factionless. With no home, no family … Nothing."

"Damn." The engineer muttered.

"We can infiltrate Dauntless and talk to Tris and – hopefully – she'll lead us to Caleb and convince him to turn himself in and give us the serum." Caelynn added, laying out their plans.

"And, how do we get into Dauntless?" Ward questioned.

"You're not gonna like it …" Caelynn replied, vaguely, mildly frightening the various agents all around her. "But, first, I need to have a word – in private – with Phil." After exchanging a questioning glance with the aforementioned senior agent, Caelynn took her leave with Phil right behind her as they left a room full of baffled spies in their wake.

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**Well, there's chapter 1. If y'all want me to continue, ya gotta read and review.

~Skye Coulson


	2. What Did You Do In the War, Dad?

**Justice Is More Important Than Peace**

* * *

**Disclaimer:  
**As always, I own nothing.

**Rating:  
**T

**Genre:  
**Romance/Family

**Pairings:  
**Coulsye  
FourTris

**Lyrics Used:  
**Within Temptation "Let Her Go"  
Woodkid "Run Boy Run"  
Sonata Arctica "What Did You Do In the War, Dad?"

* * *

What Did You Do In the War, Dad?

* * *

_Staring at the bottom of your glass | Hoping, one day, you'll make a dream last | But, dreams come slow and go so fast_

_You see her when you close your eyes | Maybe one day she'll understand why | Everything you touch only dies_

_But, you only need the light when it's burning low | Only miss the sun when it starts to snow | Only know you love her when you let her go_

_Only know you've been high when you're feeling low | Only hate the road when you're missin' how | Only know you love her when you let her go_

_And, you let her go_

* * *

"All right, you have my attention, Caelynn." Phil stated, closing the door to his office as his protege turned to face him. "Mind telling me what this whole thing is all about _and –_ more importantly – why we're not out there … getting the serum to save Skye?!" The senior agent demanded.

"Look, before you go barging in there – all guns blazing – there's something you need to know." Caelynn replied, dropping her voice to an urgent tone. "And, I don't have time to say it, tactfully, so I'm just gonna come right out and say it. Tris and Caleb Prior…Are your children."

Caelynn's words hit Phil like a semi. "What?" He breathed, in pure shock. "How…"

"Sixteen years ago…When the five factions were all at war with each other…You and I lead that team to restore the peace…Natalie Prior…" Caelynn began, recalling the first field mission she'd served with her mentor. Watching the realization – combined with horror – dawning on Phil's face, she knew he knew exactly what she was talking about.

"Oh my God…" The senior agent breathed, knees buckling as Caelynn gently guided him into the nearby sofa. "It's _my _fault. What happened to Skye…This is all my fault." He muttered, beginning to ramble, as his mind worked furiously to unscramble the puzzle of everything his protege was telling him.

"Don't you dare." Caelynn hissed. "Don't you dare, Phil. This is _not _on you. Yes, Caleb Prior _is _your son. But, you did **not **make him into the terrorist he is, today." The specialist asserted. "You had **nothing **to do with what happened to Skye – or _anything _the Clairvoyant has done. That is **_all _**him! Caleb. Prior. Is solely responsible for his own actions."

* * *

_Run boy run | This world is not made for you | Run boy run | They're trying to catch you | Run boy run | Running is a victory | Run boy run | Beauty lies behind the hills_

_Tomorrow is another day | And you won't have to hide away | You'll be a man boy | But for now it's time to run it's time to run_

* * *

"Well, we're here." Ward surmised as they stood in the middle of a deserted dirt road, facing a set of elevated railroad tracks. "What next?"

"Next…" Caelynn began, approaching the beams leading up to the tracks. "We climb." She added, simply, turning back to face her mentor and his team. Turning back to the beam, she lead by example as she quickly climbed the steel beam.

"Is she serious?" Fitz asked, curiously, turning to Coulson.

"Caelynn's always serious." Phil replied, in an almost dead voice which haunted every member of his team, as he approached the beam next to the one Caelynn had already climbed half-way to the top.

Watching their boss and his former protege climbing to the tracks above, May silently followed suit. Ward was next. Finally, Fitz was the only left. "Well…When in Rome…" He muttered to himself as he approached the beams before him.

"Now, what?" May asked, once the agents had all reached the tracks at the top.

"Now, we wait for the train." Caelynn replied, simply, watching for the aforementioned train to arrive.

"I don't hear…" Fitz began, before the distinct rumble of a train speeding down the tracks filled the ears of each of the S.H. .D. agents. "Bloody hell."

"We gotta get off these tracks." Phil muttered, moving to climb back down the beams before a firm grip on his bicep froze him in place. "What're you doing?" He questioned, looking up at Caelynn as if she'd lost her mind.

Staring at Phil for a moment, she asked a simple question. "Do you trust me?"

Phil attempted to process the simple question until the train appeared in their sights. "Harmon, we have to-" Melinda May was cut off, however, as she watched the blonde specialist move down the tracks to meet the train as she gripped one of the steel bars next to an open door before disappearing through the opening.

Following suit, as the train approached, Coulson grabbed the steel bar – disappearing through the same opening – as the rest of the team followed close behind. Once inside the train, Ward was the first to speak. "Okay…We're on the train-"

"I really – **really –** hate trains." Fitz muttered, darkly, recalling the last mission involving train travel.

Gracefully skipping over the engineer's comment, the specialist continued on. "What's our next play?"

"We'll take this train a couple miles." Caelynn began, just as cryptic as ever. "When our stop comes up, I'll let you all know." She added. "In the meantime…This is probably the only chance you're have to take a moment to relax and regroup." She warned, carefully. "I'd make the best of it, if I were you." Exchanging glances with one another, Coulson and his team knew that relaxation was the furthest thing from any of their minds, in that moment.

True to her word, approximately fifteen minutes later, Caelynn rose to stand at the opening they'd all crossed through. "Look alive, everyone." She ordered, as Coulson and his team all rose to their feet to stand by the opening. "See that building, up ahead – about six rooftops away?" She added, pointing out the aforementioned rooftop. "Once the train gets close enough, it's time to jump."

"You don't seriously expect us to jump off a **moving train **onto a bloody _rooftop_?!" Fitz all but screeched.

"It gets better." Caelynn replied, with a devious smirk which sent chills up and down the length of the engineer's spine. A few moments later, the senior specialist was already lining up her jump. Before they knew it, she had disappeared through the doorway and landed with almost cat-like agility on her targeted rooftop.

"You know what to do." Coulson instructed his team, before taking his own leap of faith – nearly falling short – as he scraped his shin upon landing. Lifting her mentor to his feet, Caelynn gently nudged him to a sitting position on the ledge as she wiped the wound clean with a baby wipe as the other agents made their own jumps..

"Really?" Phil questioned, quirking an eyebrow as Caelynn tossed the used wipe aside before taping a piece of gauze over the wound.

"You know the story, Phil." Caelynn grinned. "I've always been a firm believer in always being prepared." She added, rising to her feet as she pulled Phil up with her. "For anything."

"Where to, next?" May questioned, once the entire team had been reunited.

Moving to the opposite ledge, Caelynn glanced down a hole in the next rooftop seven stories down. Once the rest of the agents with her had gathered around her, she added "There's a net at the bottom." Looking up at the team surrounding her, she spoke to them, directly. "Don't think. Just jump." She ordered, before doing exactly that as she jumped – allowing herself to fall straight through the hole into the awaiting net.

"You heard the woman." Coulson shrugged, taking the leap of faith, next.

Watching their boss, mentor, and friend take the leap, May and Ward shared a cryptic glance before May took the jump. Following the pilot's suit, Ward took a breath before jumping over the ledge. Left alone, Fitz knew there was only one choice left. Saying a silent prayer, he stepped up onto the ledge before a newly familiar voice shouted out to him. "_WE AIN'T GOT ALL DAY, FITZ!_" Caelynn shouted out before Leo closed his eyes, drawing a steadying breath and allowing himself to fall – blindly – through the next rooftop onto the awaiting net.

* * *

_Dad what did you do in the war | Something to answer for | You say too young I am to know_

_Dad, I've heard you cry at night | Mournful and desperate blight | Where did you learn that song you sing_

_War is in me! I was the war! | And, your praying brings back the suffering | No, please, don't start to cry | I only pray you'll never know | The things I see every time I close my eyes | Angels still have faces_

_Do you fear yesterday will in someway | Define the life of your child_

_Dad, I know what you did in the war | Deeds the devil would abhor | Did you fulfill the oath you swore_

_Dad, did you do it for me | Their blood for my life to live | In the hollow without reprieve | Without you_

_War is in me! I am the war! | Don't force me to live the nightmare again | I'm sorry | Please don't make me cry | My daughter, you never ever want to know | How when guarding your sleep serene I hear | The silence of the children who sang_

_Far and beyond the stars there's | A place where all the love | All the goodness we could have still resides | But, we choose life away from the light | You can find ghosts of loss in the gaze of your | Beautiful child_

* * *

Their victory was short-lived as a voice shouted out orders at them. "Freeze!" The voice was firm. Unwavering. And, hauntingly familiar to Phil Coulson.

"Hands where we can see them!" Another – less familiar – voice barked out. Knowing that compliance was their safest option, Caelynn, Coulson, and the team all did as they'd been told. "Turn around." The second voice ordered. Slowly turning, Team Coulson found themselves face-to-face with the business ends of two forty-five caliber glock pistols.

Once the team turned to face them, Tris Prior immediately lowered her weapon, turning to her companion. "It's all right." She assured him, resting her hand on his forearm – gently coercing him to lower his weapon, as well. "They're friendly."

"With all due respect…" Four – formerly Tobias Eaton – replied, shifting his gaze back forth between Tris and the newcomers in their headquarters. "You remember what happened last time we considered someone a friendly." He elaborated.

"We can trust him – at the very least." Tris asserted, firmly, gesturing toward Coulson with her weapon, before holstering the weapon and reaching her hands up to the small, gold, locket around her neck. Opening the uniquely shaped pendant – a small circle with an angular, block-shaped eagle figure in the center – to reveal a picture of the man that Tris had pointed to on one side and an engraving on the other.

* * *

_When all else fails  
__I will always  
__protect you_

* * *

"What the hell's goin' on, here, Tris?" Four questioned, frustrated with his lack of intel on the situation.

"I believe I can answer that." Caelynn replied, bravely, stepping forth – in front of her mentor and his new team.

"You, back the hell up!" Four snapped, aiming his gun directly at Caelynn's chest. "You'll know when I'm speaking to you." He hissed, turning his attention back to Tris.

"This man is my father." Tris explained, levelly, glancing over to Coulson with a warm smile.

"I thought you said your dad died trying to help you escape Jeanine?" Four questioned, curiously.

"Andrew Prior **was **my _dad_…" Tris explained, cryptically. "He raised me, yes." She conceded, before moving to stand next to Coulson. "But, Phil Coulson is my birth father."

"Coulson." Four ordered, curtly, before being cut off.

"That's _Agent _Coulson to you-" Fitz corrected before staring straight down the barrel of Four's glock – effectively silencing him.

"_Agent _Coulson…" Four corrected. "Just who the hell are you and what the hell do you think you're doing here?" He demanded, aiming his pistol at the senior S.H.I.E.L.D. agent to reiterate his demand for the truth.

Raising his hands in a sign of surrender, Phil replied – truthfully - "My name is Agent Phil Coulson. I'm an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. My team and I are here, today, seeking medical assistance."

"Medical assistance?" Four replied, curiously.

"One of our has been critically wounded – shot twice in the abdomen at point-blank range." Coulson replied, that same dead voice from before returning and mirrored in his ice blue eyes. "Perforated her stomach. Punctured the small and large intestines." He elaborated. "She's currently on life support."

"A few questions, first." Four replied, curtly. "One. What the hell is S.H.I.E.L.D.?"

_Really?_ Coulson thought to himself, furiously. _Skye's life is on the line and _**_that's _**_what he wants to know?! _Shaking it off, he decided it would be in his best interests to play along. "It's an acronym. Stands for the Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement and Logistics Division." He elaborated.

"For lack of better words, they're essentially Dauntless for the outsiders." Tris added, for clarification.

"Really?" Four questioned, curiosity peaked.

"We are the line." Phil interjected, carefully. "We protect the general population from things they're not ready to know about."

Humming, thoughtfully, Four decided he was satisfied with the S.H. .D. agent's answer. "Two." He added, signaling his satisfaction. "What makes you think we can do differently than any of your own doctors?"

After a tense silence, Tris looked up at Four, guiltily, as she spoke. "We can't." She replied, cryptically, holstering her weapon, once more. "But, my brother _can_."

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**I hope y'all enjoyed this little installment. And, can I just say…tonight's episode…OMC! **Shakes head** Not the point. Also, yes, I took _slight _creative license with the "What Did You Do In the War, Dad?" lyrics. I changed "my son" to "my daughter" to better fit the scene. Anyway, please read and review!

~Skye Coulson


	3. Caleb

**Justice Is More Important Than Peace**

* * *

**Disclaimer:  
**Really?! If y'all don't know the drill by now … It's too late for you.

**Rating:  
**T

**Genre:  
**Romance/Family

**Pairings:  
**Coulsye  
FourTris

**Lyrics Used:  
**Sonata Arctica "Caleb"  
3 Doors Down "It's Not My Time"  
Sonata Arctica "Blood"

* * *

Caleb

* * *

_There is a man in this world who has never smiled | You may know his tragedy, the later years, by heart | In the beginning, there was a mother, a father, and a child | A troubled little silent boy whose life they worked to destroy | Known to us from this day on | By his father | Caleb_

_Father said "I'm sorry" only once as I remember | "These words were not meant to hurt, only destroy you, my stupid son..." | One person can make a difference, sometimes | Just turn his head when the kids is still and has a weak neck_

_Smiled at his funeral "happy you're dead"_

"_Now, I ring the bell to tell the world | I'm ready when they bring out the soon-to-be-dead against the wall…" | oo-oo-oooo | This necessary evil has no heart | ooo-oo-ooo | Flowers and people he will now enlace | A price he must pay serving a cold | …whatevergod_

* * *

"What do you mean 'your brother can'?" Four demanded.

"May I?" Caelynn offered, stepping to the front of the group – bowing respectfully.

Eying the blonde for a moment, Four decided to take a metaphoric leap of faith. "Identify yourself." He barked.

"My name is Special Agent Caelynn Harmon." Caelynn replied, keeping her voice calm and level so as to prove she was not a threat. "I'm an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D." She added. "I work as an ambassador between the factions and S.H.I.E.L.D." The specialist elaborated, carefully.

"Ambassador?" Four demanded, curiously.

"I help facilitate communications and interactions between the factions and S.H.I.E.L.D." Caelynn replied. "But, with all due respect…A young woman's life is on the line." She added, her urgency and frustration beginning to taint her voice. "And, every **second **I spend _twaddling _with you is another second I am _not _saving **her**." She hissed.

Tris knew Caelynn was right. They needed to get moving if they were going to save her father's operative. "She's right." She interjected. "We need to get moving. Caleb has the serum that they need and he's in Erudite." The red-head elaborated. "And, they are _not _going to make it easy for us to get it."

* * *

_Looking back at the beginning of this | And, how life was | Just you and me loving all of our friends | Living life like an ocean | But, now, the current's only pulling me down | It's getting harder to breathe | It won't be long and I will be going under | Can you save me from this  
'Cause it's not my time, I'm not going | There's a fear in me, it's not showing | This could be the end of me | And, everything I know | Oh, but, I won't go  
But, I won't go | No, I won't go down | Yeah_

* * *

Cocking his gun, Coulson looked around to his team – preparing their various weapons and equipment. As his eyes finally landed on his daughter, he asked, gently "You sure you're up for this?"

"It's like we always say…" Tris Prior stated, looking up at her father as she finished strapping her extra ammo to her thigh. "Faction before blood."

"'Faction before blood'?" Coulson questioned, curiously. "What does that mean? I thought Dauntless was your faction?"

"It was." Tris replied, bluntly, strapping several knives to the back of her belt. "Until word got out that I was Divergent."

"'Divergent'?" The senior S.H.I.E.L.D. agent repeated, curiously. "What's 'Divergent'?"

"It means I don't fit any one faction." The young red-head elaborated, holstering a pistol on either hip, kneeling on one knee while she rested her arm on the other knee – looking up at her father. "Means they can't control me. Which means they fear me. Which means – if they ever find me – they'll kill me."

"Just for being different?" Coulson questioned, horrified that the leaders of the faction society would be so harsh. Not to mention shuddering at the thought of what might become of him if he ever lost his daughter. Especially after _just _finding her **and **with the knowledge of Skye fighting for her life hanging over his head.

"If they can't control you, you have to be destroyed." Tris replied, simply. "So, up until now, I've considered myself factionless."

"And, now?" Coulson asked, carefully, afraid of getting his hopes up.

"And now? …" Tris sighed, rising to her feet with her father. "Now, I consider S.H.I.E.L.D. – or, at the very least, you and your team – my faction." She finished, with a warm smile.

"Of course we are." Phil replied, warmly, gathering his daughter into his arms for a moment.

Pulling away from her first hug with her father, Tris smiled as she spoke. "Now…Let's go save your girl."

* * *

Passing through the entrance into Erudite's headquarters, Tris warned the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents with her "All right, guys…" She began – voice hushed and weapons drawn. "We're in Erudite territory, now. Everyone keep your guard up."

"Not a problem." Ward confirmed, cocking his pistol.

Before anyone could say or do anything more, however, a sharp, pained, cry rang out through the hallway. "Four?!" Tris called out, searching for her lover. "Four!" She called out, louder, than before, as the rest of the group turned – searching for their newly missing member.

"Where the hell is he?" Coulson demanded, before a sharp, pained, cry rang through the air.

"FOUR!" Tris screamed, turning just in time to see her lover's body hit the floor as tall, broad, muscular man stood over him, aiming his pistol at the fallen man's head.

"You might wanna hold your kid back, there, Coulson." Agent John Garrett taunted, snidely. "I'd hate to have to rough up that pretty little face." He added, smiling wickedly at the younger illegitimate Coulson. "I really would." He purred in such a way that Phil had to resist the urge to vomit on the spot.

"Garrett?" Steadfastly ignoring the gut-churning looks Garrett was giving his daughter. "What the _hell _are you doing here?!" He demanded.

"What the **hell**, Garrett?!" Ward hissed, cocking his gun and aiming directly at his former S.O.'s chest. "Let him go." He ordered, curtly.

"Sorry, Grant … Phil…" Garrett responded, cockily, as Four began to stir – rising to his feet – as Garrett reached down and dragged him the rest of the way up by his collar. "Atta boy, Four-"

"Don't touch me!" Four growled, reaching for his weapon only to find it completely missing.

Twirling the missing pistol around his finger, Garrett taunted "Looking for something?" Turning back to Coulson and his team, the senior agent added "Listen, guys … Phil, surely, you understand … I got orders."

"You're the _worst _at following orders." Phil countered, suspiciously.

"Well … What can I say …" Garrett taunted. "I happen to like these orders." He added, pulling Four over next to him. "Ho-oh…Easy there, Tiger." He added, pressing a small, metal rod into the man's ribs, hitting him with an electric shock as Four collapsed – unconscious – into the waiting arms of the unidentified foot soldiers with Garrett as they hauled his lifeless form away.

"Let me go!" Tris hissed as Coulson wrapped his hands around her arms – halting her from going after the men taking Four away. "LET HIM GO!" She amended – realizing she was getting nowhere with her father – turning to face Four's captors. "LET HIM _**GO**_!" She demanded, once more.

"Well, Phil…" Garrett taunted, watching the young red-head squirming and fighting against Phil's grasp. "Enjoy _your _handful." He added, disappearing around the bend as the rest of Coulson's team took off after him.

* * *

Finally releasing his daughter, once they were alone, Phil watched as she rounded on him. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!" She screeched – advancing on him not unlike a lioness stalking her prey – forcing Phil to back up until he hit the wall. "Now, that bastard's taking Four **God **knows _where _to do go **God **knows _what _to him!"

"I know that man." Phil replied, keeping his voice level and calm, steadfastly ignoring his daughter's rapidly rising temper. "I know what he's capable of. He and I have the same training – the same background. He works for S.H.I.E.L.D.-"

"He's a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent?" Tris repeated – all the anger gone from her voice, replaced by confusion. "That doesn't make any sense. Why would a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent take Four? I thought they were the good guys?"

"We are." Phil replied, simply, drawing his daughter into his chest once more. "Listen to me, Tris…" He began, solemnly. "As long as you're safe, we'll live to fight another day. And, we _will _get Four back." The senior agent swore, vehemently. "I swear on my _life_, we'll get him back."

* * *

_Now, he can see those blue eyes | Burning through the darkened night | "He knows the fur, he used to love her"  
Ready or not, there will be blood | Life is a gift you have no lease for anymore | There will be blood | You will buy our blood with your own blood | You will buy our blood with your own blood | The last thing you will see is a  
Wolf – stares in your eyes | Blink first and die | Beauty and fear within_

* * *

"Well, well, well…" Caleb Prior drawled, tauntingly, as Coulson entered his lair deep within the Erudite headquarters with his team and Tris in tow. However, Caleb's eyes were focused straight on Tris. "The prodigal child returns."

"We don't have time for games, Caleb." Tris replied, warningly. "A young woman's life is on the line."

"Oh, I know." Caleb replied, casually, approaching his twin sister and her new teammates.

"You know?" The red-head questioned, curiously. "How could you possibly know?"

"Really?!" The Clairvoyant replied, snottily. "You think the 'powers that be' really made me the keeper of the serum for my looks?" He quipped, sharply, earning himself a disgusted eye roll from Coulson. "It's really quite simple, sister dearest." He taunted, stepping directly in front of his sister. "Who do you _think _ordered that imbecile, Quinn, to shoot the bitch, anyway?"

"You son of a bitch!" Coulson snarled, lunging for the evil Prior twin only to be stopped in his tracks by Tris and Caelynn's firm grips on either of his arms. "Let me go! I'll fucking kill him!" The senior S.H.I.E.L.D. agent snarled, venomously.

Unfazed by Coulson's raging outburst, Caleb only clicked his tongue judgmentally as he turned his attention onto him. "You see, Agent Coulson…That…That right there is precisely the reason why I chose Skye as my target." He elaborated, tauntingly, standing right in Coulson's face as he spoke. "I knew hurting her would hit closest to home. I knew she'd get the biggest rise out of you. Drive you harder to find the cure that saved you – and, would save her, as well." The shit-eating grin on Caleb's face made Coulson want to vomit all over it. "I knew you'd never allow your precious little hacker to die. I knew she would bring me the answers I needed."

"What _answers_, Caleb?!" Tris demanded, still holding her father back from attacking her twin brother outright. In all fairness, her blood boiled just as much as his at the way Caleb was speaking. But, she knew they had more important things to do. And beating the living hell out of Caleb would get them nowhere.

Shifting his gaze back and forth between his sister and their birth-father, Caleb grinned wickedly. "You didn't tell her … Did you, Agent Coulson?" He sneered, focusing on the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent.

"Tell me what?" Tris questioned, warily, looking up at her father.

Falling limp in his daughter's grasp, Coulson turned to her with a crestfallen countenance. Before he could speak, however, Caleb spoke for him. "The very _reason_ why poor, sweet, Skye was shot in the first place." He sneered.

"How'd you even know she was shot to begin with?" Tris demanded, having had enough of her twin brother's games.

Releasing an exasperated sigh, Caleb replied "For the love of _God_, people…Seriously…what part of '_The _**_Clairvoyant_**' was unclear to you all?!"

Deciding to let it go, Tris turned to Coulson. "What is he talking about?" She questioned, gently. "Why did he order Skye to be shot?"

"Because of me…" Coulson breathed, his voice decidedly shaky.

"What?" Tris asked. "What are you talking about?"

"Several months ago…" Phil began, numbly, staring straight ahead while seeing nothing. "…Just before the alien attack on New York…I died…"

"You _died_?!" Tris repeated, stunned.

"I tried to take Loki on alone." Phil elaborated, eyes still unseeing. "He stabbed me from behind." He added. "And, I died."

The rest of the team around Phil just stared at each other in shock until Caleb spoke, again. "Yes, and, you see … I saw all of this." He taunted, circling Coulson dangerously – not unlike a school of piranha. "The only thing I _couldn't _see, however…" He drawled, lazily. "Was how they brought you back." Everyone else in the room felt their blood run cold as they watched the exchange. "And, without that little tidbit of information, I haven't been able to solve the key variable in correcting my super soldiers' single weakness."

"'Weakness'?" Caelynn questioned, her voice calculating.

"Yes, Agent Harmon." Caleb taunted. "You see … As strong and skilled as my men are … They're not immortal." He drawled. "But, I knew Agent Coulson here had returned from the dead – coming closer than anyone ever had before – to true immortality … Which is precisely Ms. Skye's life needed to be put in jeopardy." He elaborated, his voice cold and detached. "I knew if I put her in danger, that would be the greatest motivator to coerce you into learning the truth behind what your precious little S.H.I.E.L.D. had done to bring you back-"

Suddenly, Caleb's little monologue was cut short by a resounding _SMACK _as Tris' hand collided with his cheek. Righting his head, Caleb just chuckled slightly. "Oh, dear, sweet sister mine…This was never personal-"

"Bullshit." Tris hissed, venomously. This time…Coulson would not hold his daughter back.

"All I needed was information." Caleb added, continuing on as if his sister hadn't even spoken. "But, imagine my amusement when you lead me directly to something that had been laying right in my lap the whole time."

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**So, I hope this was okay. I intended to write more. But, just felt like this was good stopping point. Please read and review.

~Skye Coulson


End file.
